Turnstile.



No. 861,351. V PATENTED JULY 30, 1 907.

' G. M. BBERBOWER. v

TURNSTILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYQ, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. 4

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 a g6 g z m 5 m M G. M. BBERBOWER:

TURNSTILE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY9,1906.

' Units S A ES:

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, Gnonen M. BEERBOWER, a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of the city of .New York, county of New York, State of New'York have invented certain new. and useful Improvements I in Turnstiles of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to turnstiles, and-particularly to turnstiles adapted to register with dependable accuraey-either entirely automatically orj'when under the control of' an attendant the numberof P rsons who. 'pass therethrongh. When designed to provide it checknpon the returns of employees, such 'as those 'rvho'receive, admission fees, such devices should be dependable at alljtimesandunder all ordinary condi: tions, and be so constructed ,aszto preventdishonest manipulation, without 7 ion. @Registering turnstiles. should,-"thejrefiore, .b' incapable of reverserotation-i. e., in a direction horetiraify-to that naturally im-' parted to the revolvingf'ariirslpy the body of a person passing into the ii'iclosure eg d should be provided with means whereby, first, each; quarter turn' of the devicethe arc of rotation naturally resulting from the pressure of the body'o'f an individual against'the iinpeding arms and .which tendstoswing said arm out of the path of movement and another arm thereinto will through the registering; mechanism, add w total shown by the indica tor; v-"and, .seco'nd, movement of the arms, do is the entrance or. passing of a single individualfwill be through a complete. are of 90, no more and no less, irrespectiveof the duration.

or degree of the manual force applied Furthermore, I

'where there are i-certain prerequisite conditions-of ad- I mission to be complied with, for example, the turn stile should be positively lockedagainst all movement until-unlocked by an attendant aiter conditions fulfilled. The unlocking meansgen'e'rally consists in'a lever within reach of the attendant, and it is highly important that it .be' not necessary to time the operation of the unlocking lever the movement of the person passing or about to pass through the turnstile. In

other words where this lever is depressed and must be held depresseduntiltlie person entering has started to rotate the arms of the turnstile, a'nd'must then be released prior to rotation of said arms through an arc of 90, it is possible, first, that the unlocking lever may be" prematurelyreleased, again lockingthe device prior to the start oi the person therethrough, whose body will thuscome more or less violently-in contact with a fixed armfor,- second, said lever maybe held slightly too ljong in its depressed position and therefore\ permit a persona passing at greater than average speed K) to'iinpart ,suflicient momentum to rotatelth through two or more quadrants, therebyfcwi l gistration.

" GEORGE 'MQBEERBOWER, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

Specification of Letters Batent. A Applicatioufilecl. July 9,1906.I Serisl1o. 32 s,199.

1 2 i:IJIBINTfOFFICE.

- ism will be so inc ased'as to prevent dishonest manipulation without detection; whichwill be incapable of reverse rotation to reduce'thefigures indicated'by the registering mechanism; which when at rest, has one or another of its arms at all times projecting directly across the opening or entrance; which is normally checked against rotation and is automatically released' and subsequently rotatable upon the'application of a slight pressure against the impeding arm and the direction of entrance only; which is automatically rechecked when rotated through anarcot' 90; and which Patented Jul so, 1907.

is provided with means insuring rotation through a compl ete rjuadrant, whether or not manual force is applied throughout the, entire arc,- without-which. two arms :mightbe-left projecting obliquely into the path oi movement and leave space at the passage of a body witho i't necessarily moving said arms and registering the entrys g v v v A fu'rtherobjectof the invention is to provide 'means iorpositively lockingthe-device against all movement,

'raspingnoise, produced by the pawl and ratchet em- I "ployed to prevent reverse rotation, and which shall be otherwise simple in construction, dependable'in operation, and'l reeoi complicated parts and mechanisms likely to get out of order. '7 v With the above and other ends in view, my invention by theinitial pressure against the obstructing arm.

" Myinv'ention further consists in' the novel means for positively limiting rotation of the arms for each individual in passing, to anarc of 90.

My invention further consists in novel means for insuring rotation througha complete arc of 90, whether or not manual force is applied throughout the entire arc'.

My invention further consists in the novel form of locking and releasing means.

consists, generally, in a turnstilenormally checked] against rotation, said checking means being releasable My invention further consists in means for preventing contact between the pawl and the teeth of the ratchet (employed to prevent'reverse rotation) except when attempt i direction.

made torotate the device in a reverse f My invention further consists invarious details of nstructioirand in combinations of parts all as hereafter more fully described and particularly pointed ,ont in the claims.

, My invention'will be more readily understood by lrefeience the accompanyingdrawingsfiforming a Figure 1 is a vertical, central-sectional elevation, partly broken away, of-a turnstile embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thelower portion thereof, with the locking device in a different poi sitionof adjustment Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 1, on an'enlarged scale, ofithe top portion of the device with the rotating part and ,the lock-in a different position of adjustment. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the same parts on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7 and 8, are horizontal sections taken on the lines 6 6, 77 and 8-8 respectively of Fig, 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 9 refers to a pedestal, preferably provided with a tripod base 10, which may be firmly secured to the floor or other support by means of bolts 11. "Within the base of the pedestal 9 is-suitably journaled, preferably by means of a fixed trunnion 12 and a removable trunnion 13, the rock-shaft 14, within which is fined the lower end of the shaft or stem- -15 --which extends upward through the middle of the pedestal and through the aperture 16 in the top-plate 17. This aperture 16 is elongated, asshown in the direction of entrance, to

provide for a limited lateral reciprocating movement of the upper portion of said stem 15, for which the rockshaft 14'provides. Freely 'rotating-tupon the said shaft 15 and upon the plate 17 5 15 the hollow head 18 which carries the rectangularly radiating arms, one or another of which at all times projects across the path of in .the head 18 andipi'ojecting downwardly therefrom are the four stud-pins 21,22, '23 and 24, equidistant from each other and from the axialdine of said head. These pins enter what I may term a cam groove 25 in the top face of plate 17. Thisgroove 25, as shown in Fig. 7, is offset at diametrically opposite points to pro-- vide the steps or shoulders 26 and 27, against which two opposite pins normally impinge. The aperture 16 being elongated and the upper end of the shaft 15 being free tolnove laterally in said aperture pressure acting vdirectly.against said. shaft, or indirectly through the head and the arm whichwobstructs movement, will cause the upper portion of said shaft to move from one endto the other of said aperture 16 and move said head .l8,'aud therewith the pins, acorresponding distance. It will be noted that the plate 17 remains stationary, wherefore thepins 22'and 24, which have heretofore impinged against the shoulders 26 and 27, will be moved through the offset portions of the groove 25 to points innnediately innfrout of the curved continuations of said groove (as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7) wherenpon the head 18 will lie free to, rotate. It will therefor o be apparent that, the head and arms'being normally checked against rotating movement, the initial pressure of the body against the obstructing arm, such pressure being in the same direction the elongation of the aperture 1(i,:will operate to move said head bodily in the manner above explained tofree the pins 22 and 24 of the stops 26 and 27. Bodily movement of the head being then checked, further exertion of presof an attendant.

sense-1 sure will rotate said head and swing the obstructing arm clear of the path or opening. As this arm rotates the pressure is relieved, and the pins 21 and 23, follow ing the direction of the groove 25, will return said head to its normal position and by impinging, in turn, against the shoulders 26 and27, respectively, positively check rotation of the arms and head when the same have moved through an arc of 90.

I have referred to the desirability of insuring fullmovement through a complete quadrant, even in case the natural pressure against the, arm is prematurely discontinued. For this purpose I provide a yieldings wrin bar 28 referabl secured to the shaft 15st 29 l g P 3 and which. passes through a suitable clamp 30 on said shaft to distort said bar and provide the necessary I spring pressure. At the topof this bar is riveted'or otherwise suitably securedthe Y-shaped bearing plate 31 having the lugs 32 and 33"adaptedunder normal conditions to impinge against the two pins (21 and 23, Fig-.2) not in Contact with the shoulder stops. This bar being yielding; it will be apparent that when thehead 18 has been first freed to rotate and rotation thereof is commenced, the pin 23 (referring to Fig.'8 will force the Y-shaped bearing plate 31 of the bar 28 against the action of the spring until it assumes the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 8, the pin 23 having been moved through in arc of approximately 45 ,-or one'-half of the quadrant. Itwill be apparent that in this position the pin 24 has passed to a corresponding point on the opposite side where the spring pressure is eq'uallydivided between the two pins and there is no tendency to further movement, If, however,

rotation is contirlued, even to a very slight degree, the

pin 23 passes betwe n the arms of said bearing plate and is relieved of the pressure of the lug 33, -while "the pin 24 is directly in front of the lug 32 and receives full pressure of the spring in the bar 28; Therefore, if the arm is rel ased prior to its having been turned by man ual force "through the entire quadrant,-the spring-bar 28 will continue the rotatioh thereof until'automatically rechecked in the manner explained.

As is well known, these turnstiles are at times used -merely to record, for statistical purposes, for example,

the number, of persons who pass therethrough. In

such cases, the conditions may not justify the keeping Where these turnstiles are used, how ever, to check the sales of paid admissions to an inclo'-' sure, it has been found necessary to provide some means for temporarily locking the device and. preventing'mtation thereof until the conditions of admission have been complied with, whereupon the'slttendant releases the locking mechanism and permits of the rotationoi the device and operation of the registering mechanism. Such locking and releasing ineans have heretofore generally necessitated the depression by an attendant of an operating lever, which must be held depressed until the turnstile has commenced to rotate and the release of which must be properly timed to insure the recheck ing or relockin'g of the device when it has been turned through a quarter revelation. To obviate the necessity for. timing release of the unlocking lover, I proviile a bar 35, within the pedestal 9 and extending from the bottom to the topthereof, which has formed upon its upper end the cam 36 entering a suitable mortise in the plate 17. As a guide I provide the slot 37 in said bar, through which passes the stud-bolt 3.8 in. the rockshaitld. j

The bar 35 is obliquely disposed within the pedestal,

or, in other words, is inclined from theperpendicular so that the force of ,ggmvitywill tend to give said bar its position oi greatest inclination. It has,'f'urthermore, a

' slight vertical reciprocating motion, limited by the or cam-36 of said her, when in its normally raised 'position, is interposed between thelpin 22 (referring to Fig. 8) and the interior endoi the short ofiset portion of the groove 25. When the cam 36 is in thisposition, ob-

\ vio'usly, said pin 22 is held against lateral movement and, therefore, the head T8 is locked in the position indicated in Fig. 4 and will not yield to the pressure which, as explained, would otherwise tend to release the same for rotation. The conditions of admission,

v such as the payment of a fee, b eing complied with, the

attendant, with his foot or otherwise, will depress the end of the lever 43, fulcrumed at 44, which will raise the weight 39 and therewith the end of the lever and depress the rod or bar 35 which, when the head thereof reaches the end of the pin 22 will, under the force of gravity, as explained, drop under said pin; Thereupon the foot of the attendant may be; instantly removed from the lever 43, the bar 85 'being held in its depressed condition, and the head 18 may be released and rotated in the manner explained. Upon rotation of said head, the pin 22 will be carried beyond the edge of the cam 36, whereupon said cam, the bar 35 being under action of the weight 39, will be raised into the position formerly occupied by said pin 22. As rotation is continued, the pin 21 (referring to the pins as indi;

catcd iii-Fig. 8) impinges against the inclined face of the cam 36 and forces the same back against gravity into a position identically similar to that indicated in Fig. 8, except that the ,pin 22 has passed through an arc of I 90" and the in 21 is in the osition formerl occu ied P P y P by the pin 22, impi'nging against, the shoulder 26 and thus checking the head against furtherrotation. Iii

this position the device is again locked against movement until the'releasing operation is repeated.

When it is desired to use the turnstile without the supervision of an attendant, the lever 43 maybe forced down into an engagement with any form oi suitable remining means, such as a hook 46, which will retain the bar 85 in its depressed position and permit of rotation of the head lil il'eely at any time under the conditions l'lGl'Qil'lbCiOlG set forth. It will be apparent that the re-.

leasing lever 43 should be located within any suitable form of cage or oifice adjacent or near to the turnstile and out of reach of those who would unwarrantably manipulate the same,

It is, of course, necessary that the head l8 be held against rotation in what I have termed a reverse direction, and while I employ one or more pawls and a ratchet to p; horeinbeiore usual gmti rides over ed, that my device be free from the ing noise caused by the pawl as is or the ratchet during rotation in a the teeth nt such reverse rotation, I desire, at

47 and place thereuponuwhat I may term an idler 48,

loose upon the shaft 15. Suitably pivotedupon a 'stud 49, mounted in the top plate ofthe head 18, is the bell-crank lever 50 havingan annfilj extending into asuitabl recess 52 in said idl'er 43ai1d theiither arm pro viding the "pawl 01' detent' 53; Obviously, when the head 18 starts to rotate in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, thesh'artbeing nonrotatable, and the idler 48 resting upon the fixed ratchet 47,- movement of the arm 51 with saidh'ead is retarded, andfthe frictional resistance-oi said idler to movement serves to withdraw the pawl 53 from, the teeth oi the ratchet until said .pawl contacts with the wall of the head, whoreufpoil said frictional resistance being overcome said idler will rotate and by friction hold the pawl-against said wall and entirely free of the teeth of the ratchet. 1 There will,

therefore, be no perceptible noise when the head is re I tated. Should it be atternpted to ro' te in a ceof said reverse direction, the same frictions idler 48'wil1 operate to retard the movement of.the arm 51 and immediately serve to bring said pawl 53 h a cl'c into engagement with the teeth of the'ratchet,'; whereupon said drum is firmly held against continued movement in a reverse direction", .As shown in 6, there may, if desired, be two of these pawls, so'that instead of having play through an arc equal ,to the distance apart of the teeth; this are of reverse rotation may be 'reduced to one-half of this distance. i

The registering mechanism forms no part of this" in vention. I have shown a stud 54 projecting from the .stem or shaft 15, through a suitable aperture in the top plate 550i the head 18. To the top of this head and to, the, stud 54 may be secured in-any suitable manner any desired form of registering mechanism and the casing therefor. The shaft 15 being fixed and the head 18 being rotatable, it will be apparent that the fixed and movableparts of a registering or counting device may readily be applied to the top of the turnstile proper.

turnstile will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains and I therefore do not desire that my invention be limited to the specific form herein shown and described.

1. A. turnstile hndng the arm carrier nornmlly checked against rotation and releasable through initial bodily movement of the qbst-ructlng arm ,and its carrier in the directlon ofrotstlom 2. A turnstile havingthe'arm-cnrrler normally checked against rotation, releasable through the initial bodily I 10 5 Many modifications of minor details of my improved movement of the obotructlngsrnl audits carrier'ln the dlrectlon of rotation and automatically rechecked at the end of each quarter turn. I 1

3. In a. turhstlle, a rotating head, meansnormally checklug said head against rqtstlon,"and. m ean operable by alimited, lateral, bodily inovement oflissid and: to release said checking means. I v v 4. In a turnstiles rotating head, means norm'sllyfchecklng said head sgalnst'rotatlon', means operable by a limited, lateral, bodily movement of ssid'head to release said checking means, and means for automatically rechecklng said head at the end of each quadrant,

5. In a turnstlle, the combination of an oscillating shnftf a head rotatable thereon, means normally checking romtlon of said head, and means operable by a, limited lateral bodily movement of said head and shaft to release said checking means.

rat

(i. in a turnstile. the combination of an oscillating shaft. :1 head rotatable thereon. means normally checking rotation of said head. and means operable by a limited lateral bodily movement of said head and shaft to release said checking means. said sllat't' beingreturned to normal and said head to checked position by rotation through one quadrant.

T. in a turnstile. the combination. with the rotating head and arms. of means normally checking rotation of said head and means for releasing said head for rotation through one quadrant only. said releasing means being automaiicalLv operable upon the application of pressure against the impeding arm and consequent bodily movement of said arm and head in the direction of rotation.

R, in a turnslile. the combination. with the rotating head and arms and automatically releasable means for checking rotation of said head at the end oi each quad rant. of additional means for locking said checking means against. release. and means for rendering said locking means inoperable, I

t). ln/a turnstile, the combination. with the rotating head and arms and automatically releasable means for checking rotation of: said head at the end of each quadrant. of additional means for locking said checking means against release. and means for rendering said locking means inoperable until said head is rotated and rechecked.

to, in a turnslile, the combination, with the rotating head and arms and automatically releasable means for checking rotation of said head at the end of each quad-' rant. of means normally locking said head in its checked position. said itit'lilllg l'lltfltls being under manual control to release and automatically operable to rclock said head each time rotation is checked.

11. in a tnrnstile. a rotating head, means normally checking said head against rotation, means operable by a limited, lateral. bodily movement of said head to release said checking means. and means for preventing, said lateral movement whereby said head is locked in its checked position.

12. in a turnstile,' a rotating head, means normally checking said head against rotation. means operable by a limited, lateral, bodily movement of said head to release said checking means. means for automatically rechecking said head at the end of each quadrant, and manually releasable means automat'ieally locking said head against lateral movement each time rechecked against rotation.

12;. in a turnstile. the combination of a rotatable head and-arms, means for'automatically continuing rotation through a complete quadrant after manual rotation through :1 fractional portion thereof. and means for positively checking said head after rotation through a complete quadrant, said checking means being releasable through initial bodily movement of the obstructing arm and said head in the direction of rotation,

14. In a turnstile, the combination of a rotatable head and arms. means for automatically continuing rotation through a complete quadrant after manual rotation through a fractional portion thereof, means for positively checking said head after rotation through a. complete quadrant, said checking means being releasable by the initial pressure against; the obstructing arm, and means for locking said head against such release, said locking means being automatically operable each time rotation is checked.

15. In a turnstile. the combination of a rotatable head provided with a plurality olf projections equidistant from themselves and from the axis of sai d'head, and a stationary member having a groove in which said projections travel, a portion of said groove terminating in a stop against which each projection in turn impinges to check rotation/oi said head, the impinging projection being freed for eontinued rotary movement by a slight lateral movement of said head.

10. in a turnstile, the combination of a rotatable head provided with a plurality of projections equidistant from each other and equidistant from the axis of said head, a stationary member having a groove in which said projections travel, stop against which each projection in turn impinges to check rotation of said head. theimpinging projection being freed i'o'r continued rotary movement by a slight lat- ,eral movement of said head, a member normally interposed to lock said head against such lateral movement, and means for withdrawing said member and automatically holding the same in its withdrawn position until rotation is started. said member being automatically returned to relock said head when rotation is again checked.

17. In a turnstile, the combination, of an arm-support rug. rotatable head provided with four stud-pins equidistant from each other and equidistant from the axis of said head, and a stationary plate. having a groove into which all of said pins project. and in which they travel as said head is rotated, said groove being provided with anotY-sel'. portion providing a shoulder against which each pin in turn impinges ttrstop rotation of said head, and said head being freed for continued rotary movement by a slight lat eral movement thereof to carry said impinging pin through the off-set portion of said groove and to a point immediately in front of the curved continuation thereof.

18. in a turnstile. the combination, of an arm-support ing, rotatable head provided with four stud-pins equidis tant from each other and equidistant from the axis of said head, a stationary plate having a groove into which said pins project and in which they travel as said head is rotated, said groove being provided with an offset portion providing a shoulder against which each pin in turn im-.

pinges to stop rotation of said head and said head being t'reed for continued rotary movement by a slight lateral movement thereof to carry said impinging pin through the offset portion of said groove and to a point immediately in front of the curved continuation thereof, a member normally interposed in said off-set; portion to stop movement of said impinging pin therethrough, and'means for withdrawing said member, automatically checking'the same in its withdrawn position and releasing it to similarly stop the next pin in turn.

19. in a turnstile, the combination, with a rotatable head, of a fixed ratchet, a pawl pivoted to and movable with said head and adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet, means for holding said pawl. free from said teeth a portion oi said groove terminating in a all of 'during rotation of said head in one direction and automaticully returning said pawl into engagement with a tooth when rotation in a contrary direction is started.

20. In-a turnstile, the combination, with a'rmatable head, of a fixed ratchet, a pawl pivoted to and movable with said head and adapted to engage the-teeth of said ratchet, a pawl-controlling lever, and a resistance adapted to retard movement of said pawl-lever, whereby said pawl is held free of the teeth of said ratchet during rotation in one direction and is thrown into engagement with one of Said teeth when rotation in a contrary direction is Started.

21. In a turustile, the combination, with a rotatable head, of a fixed ratchet within said head, a freedlsk resting upon said ratchet and rotatable thereupon when the frictional resistance has been overcome, a lever pivoted to and within said head and rotatable therewith having one arm projecting into a peripheral recess in said disk and the other arm provided with a detent movable into and out of engagement with the teeth of said ratchet.

in witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification in the presence of two subscri nesses.

Witnesses Hnxuiz R. BAUER,

Flinn H. Bownnsocx.

viii:

GEORGE M. BEERBOWER. 

